Enigma
by Eternamente
Summary: AU Yaoi /Riku.Sora/ /Axel.Roxas/ Riku, DJ extraordinaire of Axel's Club Enigma, has his sights set on a hot raver burning up the dance floor. But is the object of Riku's desire everything he seems to be?
1. Enigma

**From Eternamente -- **_Heya, new story from me! I need a break from my other stories; they were becoming a bit stressful to write. However, this story just came to me the other night... a friend and I were talking about raving and a bunch of other things, and it planted plot bunnies in my head. And so, Enigma was born. Here we have Sora, the object of Riku's desire, but all is not what it seems. What secrets does the boy harbor? I'll let you read and enjoy. Megathanks goes out to Katraa, who let me bounce ideas off of her and help get myself back into the writing groove. I also want to thank Punkie-Spunk for giving me a bit of inspiration concerning Sora's style for this story. I love how the two of them write Sora; I highly recommend you try their stories out! It's been a while since I've began a solid story, and I hope you'll all enjoy this._

**Disclaimer -- **_Sora, Riku, and et cetera are all property of Disney/Square (much to my chagrin). Sion is property of Square (they can keep him... I just borrowed the name hehe)._

**--------------------**

**Chapter One -- Enigma**

"I can't believe my son is one of those… those… faggots!" an angry voice boomed, obviously belonging to the father of said boy.

"Honey, calm down, it's alright," a female voice, one could assume this is the mother, tried to reason with the man. "He's still our son…" but alas, she was quickly cut off by the father's tirade.

"He dresses like a hooker! For all we know he's got AIDS! How many guys have you slept with today, you whore?!" the father carried on as the son flinched under his gaze. His spiky cinnamon hair fell down deep over his eyes, and mascara streaked his tear-riddled face. Suddenly the boy's ears burned in embarrassment. Why of all days did he decide to come down dressed like this? He was normally so careful about how he dressed around his father. He had a date that night, and he only wanted to dress for it…

"Daddy, I'm sorry, I…" the boy tried to defend himself, but the man would have none of this. The boy shielded himself with his seemingly frail arms, hoping to block at least some of the blows he expected. The kids at school beat him up enough, calling him fag, homo, flamer, and such… why should now be any different?

The boy was surprised to hear a surprisingly calm "get out" emit from his father's lips.

"What?" The boy couldn't quite comprehend the situation now.

"I want you to leave. I never want to see you again," the man continued. "You have two hours to pack up and get the hell out of my life, or I'll throw you out myself."

"Are you crazy?" the mother sounded incredibly distressed. Her own husband was throwing her son out? Because of his sexual preference? "You can't be serious," she said as she quickly rushed over to coddle the boy, but the father simply glared.

"I'm leaving for two hours. If he's not gone by then, I'll get rid of him… her… IT myself," the father stated before storming out.

"Mom…" the boy whimpered and tried to wipe away the tears, but they wouldn't stop falling. "Mom, I…"

"Just go, sweetie. I'll call your aunt, and let her know you're going to stay with her until college," his mother said as she rocked him back and forth. "I'm so sorry… I'll try and fix this."

"I'm sorry I like boys," the boy sniffled into his mother's arms as she continued to coo and soothe the boy.

------

A few years later the same boy, now a young adult, looked up at Club Enigma. He was clad in the height of raver fashion, and was damned proud of it. Tonight would begin his new life; he could be just another club kid and be happy dancing away. Grinning like a fool, he made his entrance into the club and his debut to the non-judgmental crowds that gathered there.

------

It was Friday night, and Club Enigma was packed with ravers and clubbers swaying in time to the nearly deafening house beats in the club. Far beyond the throng of dancers stood the master of ceremonies. His luxurious silver hair glinted in the dim lights of the club; several back lights were set up to give him an almost holy silhouette to those enjoying themselves on the dance floor. The dancers were his puppets, and Riku Aikou was the right puppet master for the occasion.

"Here's another one for you all. Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy watching you all," Riku's silky voice spoke into his headset as his voice carried over the crowd. A mix of elated cheers and howls were voiced back at him, and he grinned a devious grin as he placed another track into the mix before stepping back to take a short breather. His breather, however, was short-lived once he heard a familiar voice in his headset.

"Hey, Riku, you got an eye on the crowd?" the smooth voice chimed into Riku's ear.

"Yeah," the DJ replied. "He's here."

"Awesome. You gonna talk to him tonight?" the voice continued.

"I dunno, Axel," Riku blushed as he trained his eyes on a certain spiky-haired brunet. The object of the stare was a short boy, and obviously a fan favourite. Clad in a short-sleeved black fishnet shirt, a pair of pink and black checkered wristbands, impossibly baggy black and pink punk pants, and platform sneakers, his movements were entrancing on the dance floor. His hair was immaculate as it defied every law of gravity, and the DJ could tell the boy had an affinity for eyeliner. He also had an abundance of glow-sticks and the sort scattered about his outfit, turning him into a walking rainbow of neon lights. A crowd had gathered around the unknown dancer, and the boy obviously relished the attention. Every now and again, Riku swore the boy looked over at him hungrily, but the DJ figured that was just his desire messing with his head.

"If you only ever keep staring, you'll never get to go out with him. You've been doing this for the past three months or so," Axel said with mild irritation. "Anyway, why don't you take five and try talking to him?"

"I can't," Riku replied. "He's…" The DJ swallowed a surprising fact; he was afraid to talk to him because the dancer was too beautiful.

"If you won't talk to him, I'll talk to him for you," Axel smirked as he switched a dial on his own control panel far behind Riku in his own officer. Being the owner of the Enigma certainly had it's benefits, as Axel could easily override Riku's command on the crowd.

Riku could have died once he heard Axel's voice call out over the loudspeakers as the music softened for the announcement. "Good evening, ladies and gentleman, and thank you for coming to Enigma, Twilight Town's hottest dance club. Tonight we have a special surprise for one of our regulars." Riku could literally hear the smirk in the owner's voice. "There is a dancer out in the middle of the floor right now. I think you all know him, he certainly has enough of a crowd!" Riku's eyes widened as the dancer in question put a hand on his hips in curiosity; several people around him were pointing at the boy and nodding. "Would the dancer with the gravity-defying spiky brown hair please come to the DJ's booth? Our DJ, Riku, has something he'd like to say to you." And with that embarrassing announcement the music came back alive and the boy in question shrugged and began to make his way towards Riku.

"Have fun," Axel said into Riku's ear as he chuckled and turned off his connection, leaving Riku in a very awkward position.

"I'm gonna kill him," the DJ seethed just before the dancer arrived.

"Hi, you're Riku, right?" Riku looked up to see the object of his affection not a foot away from him. From this close Riku could make out every curve of the lithe boy's body, and the fishnet shirt did nothing but further coax his stares. The boy shifted uncomfortably underneath the DJ's stare for a moment before speaking up again. "Uh, well, nice to meet you? I kinda… don't want to leave people hanging out there," he chuckled nervously before taking a cautious step backwards.

"Wait!" Riku said a little too abruptly, startling the raver. "I mean, I uh… you're an amazing dancer," he said all-too professionally. "Thank you for coming and entertaining the crowd."

The boy giggled and smiled. "Thanks, you're a really good DJ. I really like how you can make me move." he inquired as he tilted his head to the side curiously, his hair managing to maintain it's placement as he did so.

"You have no idea," Riku chuckled under his breath. "What's your name?" he then piped up with.

"S…" the boy hesitated for a moment, but continued. "Sion. My name is Sion," he offered with a cute smile. "I gotta go, was that all you wanted to say to me?" Riku thought his mind was playing tricks with him, but he swore he heard a tinge of hope in the other's voice.

Riku gulped nervously. "Yeah, I guess so," he said halfheartedly as the boy turned on his heel and practically flew back to his previous spot. From Riku's vantage point he watched as the boy named Sion struck a pose amidst all of the dancers and began to move back into the beat with a flurry of movements. It wasn't long before the crowed gathered around him once again to cheer him on.

"So his name is Sion. You didn't even get his number?" Axel said, his voice suddenly lifelike in Riku's ear.

"No," the DJ said glumly.

"Hey, don't let it get you down," Axel said as he placed a hand on the other's shoulder, causing Riku to nearly fly out of his chair in surprise. "Hey, easy?! What?"

"I didn't know you were right there!" Riku hissed as he calmed himself down.

"Well, why don't I do you another favour?" Axel offered with a mischievous smirk plastered upon his delicate face. His fiery red hair framed his lanky features perfectly.

"What now."

"I'll go talk to him," the red-head simply replied as he strode off onto the dance floor, leaving Riku positively flustered, wanting to stop him, but forced to put on another track. Silence is bad…

Moments later Axel was standing just in front of Sion. He paused for a few moments to watch the captivating scene before him; Riku certainly knew how to pick his objects of lust out of a crowd. Axel couldn't help but note how amazing this kid looked; his clothes were incredible, his dance movements were envious, and his style was completely wild. He was a perfect compliment to his DJ friend. There was something familiar about the kid that he just couldn't place, but he pushed those thoughts away. For now, he was on a mission.

"So, you must be Sion?" Axel found himself suddenly saying, despite not wanting to disturb the entrancing scene before him.

Sion's dancing came to a halt as he offered Axel a smile. "And what's it to you?"

"My name is Axel Kasai. I own the Enigma," the towering male stated as Sion bowed an apology. "You've got some incredible moves, you know? I'd like to offer you a job here."

"Really?" Sion's face lit up in a delighted smile. "I didn't know you could do that."

"I think I can. I kind of own the place," Axel smirked. "You light the crowd on fire every time you're here… so, why not? The pay'd be good, and most importantly my friend would like to get to know you better."

Sion raised an eyebrow. "You mean the DJ? Riku, his name is?" A flash of realization chimed in Sion's head. "Wait, you're the guy who called me up to the stage a bit ago?"

"Yeah, that was me," Axel chuckled. "And yeah, him. He's been admiring your… dance movements," he continued with a smirk. "He's just a bit shy when it comes to such incredible talent."

"Well, sure, I guess I could," Sion giggled somewhat nervously. "It'd be cool to get paid to dance, I guess."

"Perfect then, it's settled," Axel smiled as he placed his hands on the youth's shoulders. He was surprised the boy didn't tense under his grip, as if he were used to being handled like this. "Drop by tomorrow around 4pm and we'll go over what you should do exactly. It's just basically what you've been doing, only more… sponsored, so to speak."

"Okay," the brunet replied as he leaned in slightly to Axel's touch. "Anything I should wear?"

"Wear whatever you want," the fiery male replied before releasing the boy and wandering off.

Sion watched as the owner left his presence before heading off in the opposite direction. He quickly found a quiet corner of the club to duck into before producing a cell phone. After dialing a quick number he impatiently placed the phone to his ear.

"Yeah?" a gruff voice came through on the other end.

"Hey, yeah, it's Sora," 'Sion' spoke into the phone. "Plans have kinda changed now… they're hiring me to work here. I'll inform you guys about it more later."

"You better not be screwing around there, Sora," the voice hissed. "You have a job to do, don't forget that."

"I know, I know," Sora replied. "I have to find this kid. Don't worry, I think working here will give me more information than just dancing here."

"You damned well better be right about this," came the response before the call was suddenly disconnected. The other end had obviously hung up quite sharply.

Sora sighed. "Why do they have me do this sort of thing all the time," he muttered as he plastered a sexy smirk on his face and made his way back onto the dance floor to continue to entertain and be entertained.

------

"It's taken care of," Axel continued to smirk as he approached the DJ's booth. Axel hadn't been able to stop smirking in the past half hour; being able to set Riku up with a sexy little raver was too delicious of a thought to ignore. Riku and Axel were old friends, and Axel was always there for the younger male. He only wanted his happiness; if roping in a club kid to be his best friend's new boy toy was what it took for Riku's happiness, he'd do it and do it well. Plus the kid was good for business. Axel isn't stupid. Ever since he started coming to the club, the raver had people coming in just to watch him dance. He was an unknown celebrity.

Riku glanced up from his turntables to offer Axel a questioning look before placing another disc down. "Oh? How so?"

"I hired him."

"You WHAT?!" Riku's eyes widened in shock.

"You heard me, I hired him," the club owner said with that continued smirk as he crossed his arms defensively. "I figured it'd give you more of a chance to get to know him. You two will be here before the crowd rolls in, so you'll get to actually talk… and hear each other."

"Are you making fun of my music choices?"

"No, it's just a bit hard to carry a conversation with someone when you're trying to entertain a crowd," Axel laughed. "Anyway, you two are partners now. You'll play the music for him, and he'll dance for you."

"Wow," Riku smiled as he pulled Axel in to a hug. "Thanks, man. How can I repay you?"

"Heh, nothing's for free," Axel replied. "I need a favour from you."

------

The next day Riku was busying himself at the DJ's booth. He found himself rather nervous; tonight would be the first night he'd be working with Sion, and he was felt as if he were preparing for a first date. He chose his outfit for the night very carefully, opting to compliment his lustrous silver hair with an equally-lustrous silver sleeveless vest. He also chose to wear a pair of black leather pants, and a simple pair of black combat boots. Given that he had to be able to be quick on the draw as a DJ, he couldn't afford to wear any restraining clothes; any moment wasted meant a moment of silence in the club and that simply would not do at Club Enigma. The afternoon light streamed through the windows high up on the walls, giving the entire room a dark-yet-bright look to it. A dance club without dancing always seemed empty, bare, and a bit dismal, but Riku was used to it. The club was his stage, and he loved to perform.

Speaking of performers, Riku suddenly noticed a slight jingle as another performer tentatively entered the hall.

"Sion?" Riku found himself smiling at the raver's presence. Sora was clad in a similar outfit from the night before, only tonight he chose to wear a sleeveless navy blue fishnet shirt, black baggy bondage pants with large red cargo pockets and what seemed to be a literal ton of metal chains attached to them. He also wore the same chunky black platform sneakers from the night before, and a few rainbow-colored bracelets. Adorned on his neck was a simple silver crown chain necklace.

"Hi, Riku," Sora timidly offered. "I'm kind of nervous… I never expected to be hired."

"Axel's a nice guy," the DJ replied as he strolled over to the raver. "Wow, you look amazing."

Sora blushed. "Thanks, you're not bad yourself."

"I uh…" Riku blushed. He was never this shy around someone before. "Well, listen, Axel told me we'd be partners now… I pitch, and you catch it, right? Just like in baseball." Sora nodded as Riku continued. "So, why don't you come up here to the booth and select some songs you like. This way you'll really feel the music."

"Alright," Sora responded as he allowed himself to be led over to Riku's stage.

"So, Sion, what music do you like?" Riku inquired as he tried not to lose himself in Sora's deep sapphire eyes.

"Oh, anything, really," Sora replied. "I can dance to anything, to be honest. So, whatever you choose is perfect for me. I'll catch all the balls you throw at me." The boy giggled at his own double-entendre.

"Si… Sion," Riku shuddered at the sheer suggestion. "Alright then, well, here's a list of what I plan to play tonight, though I sometimes change it up on the fly. Tell me what you think about it."

Sora leaned up and gently pecked Riku's cheek. "Anything you plan is perfect. I'm here to dance, not to fuss over details," he chuckled as he came back down to Earth, despite Riku suddenly zoning out into a moment of ecstasy. "I mean, do I look like the type of kid who really plans anything?"

"Nah," Riku smiled as he placed a hand over his cheek. "Sion, I… listen, I know it's kind of crazy and sudden, but could we go out some time? I didn't really get the chance to tell you last night what with all the commotion… but…" Riku fussed with his words for a moment as Sora's smile widened, already telling Riku the answer was 'yes.' "It's just that I've been watching you for a while, and I just want to know you. You're an amazing dancer, you have incredible taste in clothes, you're fucking hot, and I just want to know what else there is to you."

"I'd love to," Sora replied. "You're not the only one who's been admiring someone. The way you lord yourself over the crowd, pulling our strings… I can't say I don't enjoy it," he winked seductively as he continued his acceptance. "I'd like to get to know you better, too."

"Hey! Sion," Axel nearly shouted as he waltzed into the club room. "Glad to see you came… woah! Nice pants!" The owner strolled up to the boy and began ogling Sora in near-disbelief. "You never cease to amaze me with your style… you must be rich or something; I never see you wearing the same thing twice!"

"I just like looking good," the boy chuckled.

"You look very good," Axel said as he placed his arms around the youth, causing Riku to glare at his friend. "So, hey, you wanna do something fun later?" he winked as his hands slid down Sora's backside.

"Uhh…" Sora stammered out a squeak as Axel's wandering hands continued their path down his body..

"Hey, Sion, I'm sorry… you're just irresistible," the red-head smiled. Sora instantly blushed a deep shade of scarlet as Axel's hands continued to wander. "Listen, can you come into my office? I need to talk to you about some things." And with that, Axel waltzed away.

"Ri… Riku?" Sora arched an eyebrow at Riku, who only returned a glare.

"He's like that with every guy who comes to work here, Sion, I'm sorry," Riku replied. "Trust me, he's just a very hands-on boss. He's one of my oldest friends, so, don't worry about it."

"Alright, if you're sure," Sora replied as he turned to follow Axel. "I'll talk to you later, alright?"

"Yeah," Riku smiled as he watched the raver enter Axel's office before going back to work. He was going to kill Axel later on; first for groping Sion before he got to, and secondly for the favour he sprung up upon him that morning.

------

"Now I remember where I recognized you from," Axel said abruptly as Sora closed the door and entered the office. The owner was laying back in his chair, his feet propped up on the desk. He continued to smirk. Apparently this was something the fiery club owner did quite often.

"Oh?" Sora replied nervously, uncertain of where this was going.

"Be honest with me, Sion," the redhead said as he motioned for Sora to take a seat. "I know a lot about the underground lifestyle here… ravers and clubbers looking for their latest fix, kids selling themselves for a few bucks so they can go get high, that sort of shit. Now you don't seem to be that stupid," Axel began as he brought his feet down to the floor and leaned in to the youth. "But, I have to wonder, and it kind of roots from the fact that I never see you wearing the same thing twice. And you've been coming here for at least three months. I know this because Riku's had his eye on you ever since." Sora blushed a light shade of scarlet at the thought; he had no idea Riku had admired him for so long. "I remember a kid who looked a bit like you from about… maybe six months ago. I saw him on a street corner all the time, constantly waving at cars and such, and always getting into random ones." Sora gulped nervously as Axel continued. "Now my question for you, Sion. Are you a hooker?"

Sora had no idea Axel was this perceptive. With a sigh, Sora began to explain. "I used to be one, but I got out of it a few months ago. I started coming here to kind of forget about that part of my life. It's something I regret, but at the time it was great… it was good money, and I was never alone. I was kicked out of my home a few years back, had some hard times, but now everything is fine."

"Why did you get kicked out?"

"My father hated me…" Sora slumped in his chair dejectedly. "He found out I was gay and threw me out, saying how I was worthless and all that shit."

Axel's eyes sparked a glimmer of sympathy for the youth before him. "So, if you're not a prostitute, what do you do now?"

"I live off of the money I made, and that's it," Sora replied.

"You made that much?"

"I was… you know… really good," Sora nervously explained.

"Is Sion your real name?" Axel inquired.

"Yes, it is," Sora stated solemnly.

"Can I see some ID? I need to see some anyway before I can officially hire you," Axel replied. Sora reached into one of his many pockets and withdrew a card for Axel to see. "I'm not judging you on your past, but as one of Riku's best friends, I'm looking out for his best interest." He examined the card and sure enough, it read Sion Barzahd and all of the other necessary information. "Alright, you check out." Sora breathed a sigh of relief as Axel passed him back the card. "We'll keep this all between you and me," Axel smiled, hoping Sora would be assured by the gesture. "Riku doesn't have to know. Just make him happy, alright?"

"He's a nice guy… I'll tell him the truth some day," Sora responded.

"In the meantime, I have a favour to ask of you," Axel grinned a mischievous grin.

"What's that?"

"I have a friend I'd like you to meet. I think you two have a lot in common," Axel smiled.

"You're not trying to… pimp me or anything?" Sora grew cautious. "That part of my life is over… I don't do that anymore."

"No, no, nothing like that," Axel laughed as he waved his hands dismissively. " Just someone who went through the same thing you did, and I think you could help him. Show him that there's someone who understands."

"Alright, I guess I could," Sora replied.

"Thanks a lot, Sion," Axel smirked. "And yeah, sorry about before… I just wanted to see Riku get a little jealous. I'm a professional, I swear," he winked as Sora rolled his eyes.

------

Elsewhere at Riku's apartment a blond boy busied himself by tidying up the place. It was the least he could do for Axel's friend; after all, Axel needed a place for the boy to stay while the investigation continued. And so Riku's dishes were in the dishwasher, his laundry was being folded, and the bored blond was running out of things to do.

"This is so exciting," he mumbled sarcastically as he finally flopped onto the couch and flicked on the television only to see his own face plastered onto the screen. Emitting a sigh he shut the television off and rolled over to take a nap.

------

The club was packed once more. After all, it was Saturday night. What better way to celebrate the weekend then right in the midst of it? Axel was working the crowd, Riku was entrancing them with his beats, and Sora was in the thick of it all captivating his audience with his astonishing moves. Once again he had become a walking neon rainbow, what with admirer after admirer attaching more and more glow sticks to his person. Occasionally he was groped (especially by one raver who absolutely insisted upon creating a glow stick harness for Sora), but he didn't mind; all in a day's work. People couldn't get enough of the kid, and Axel couldn't have been happier.

Sora's entrancement was interrupted for a moment as his earpiece came alive. A gruff voice mumbled into the raver's ear, telling him how good of a job he was doing, and that he'd better not screw up this assignment. Despite the crowd, Sora gulped nervously and kept his eyes trained on Axel.

* * *

_This story is, so far, extremely fun and easy for me to write. I have the entire story plotted out in my head, on text, and all of that stuff. I hope you'll all enjoy it._

_A few things to note. First off, yes, Sora's outfit in the second half of the story is a raver-fied version of his KH2 outfit. I had to include it some how. Secondly, throughout the story Sora and Sion will come up... the two names are one and the same. I won't give away too much, but for now we'll just leave it at the following: 'Sion' is an alias Sora uses. Why he uses one, I can't spoil that just yet... I'll let your imaginations wander a bit. Also, yes, Sion's name was taken from the character from The Bouncer... another Tetsuya Nomura character._

_I hope you all enjoyed this. This story evolved quite quickly over the past few days, and I now have a solid plot. I admit, some things happened when I didn't want them to... but I decided to re-think the plot just because I loved what I wrote so much. It is now something I am truly happy with, and the rest of the story is begging to be written already._

_Reviews are shiny!_


	2. Secrets

**From Eternamente -- **_Heya, thanks so far for the incredible interest in this story! I truly am overwhelmed; I didn't expect that many reviews for the first chapter. It's very appreciated. Also, thank you for your patience for this next chapter. I don't update nearly as often as many of my favourite authors, but that's mainly because I'm too busy reading their stories! hehe... Sometimes I have more fun reading than writing, but still._

_In thinking over this story, it will probably be somewhat short (but not TOO short, of course), but still enjoyable. This chapter reveals quite a bit about the story as a whole, and really sets up the plot. Foreshadowing is a word I keep throwing pack and forth with a friend... and this chapter truly does just that, in some respect._

_Enough from me. Enjoy!_

**Disclaimer -- **_I think by now we all know that Kingdom Hearts belongs to Disney and Square, yes? So why do I keep writing this?_

**--------------------**

**Chapter Two -- Secrets**

"So, you're staying at a hotel?" Riku inquired as he and Sora approached the Twilight Towers Hotel. It was approaching five in the morning, but Riku had insisted he drive Sora back home once the boy confessed he was staying about a five minutes' walk away from the club.

"Well, yeah. I haven't really found a place yet, but this does just fine I guess," Sora smiled sweetly as Riku leaned in.

"Sion, I… I don't want this night to be over," Riku murmured as he leaned in for a brief kiss. "You have no idea what it's been like to just look out on to the dance floor for the past few months, seeing you, and just not being able to get close enough to you."

A light tear escaped Sora, and his heart felt as if it would explode. How Sora wished he could just tell Riku the truth in it's entirety, but doing so now… it was the wrong time. "I've felt the same way, Riku," he finally admitted. "I never really expected Axel to hire me. I guess I owe him one," he said with a smile.

"Would you like to go out to dinner with me tomorrow night... well, tonight?" Riku inquired hopefully. "It's Sunday… so, we're both off."

"I'd love to," Sora replied. "Pick me up around… say… 4pm?" He then leaned up to place a light kiss on Riku's cheek before turning away to enter the hotel.

"Can I…" Riku blushed lightly. "Can I come up?"

Sora hesitated a moment, and despite wanting the DJ to, but he had to be up early… "No, not tonight. Tomorrow, sure… I need to get some rest, though," he offered with a smile before exiting the car. "Good night, Riku."

"Good night, Sion," came the reply before Sora hoisted himself into the night air, his clothing jingling ever-so-lightly before closing the car door. Riku watched the object of his affection enter the building, and felt a sense of longing for the raver's presence growing stronger.

------

Sora numbly made his way to the elevators, ignoring the awkward stares people would give him. He was used to them by now; every club night for the past three months he had come back to the hotel in what the hotel manager had dubbed 'glow stick armor.' Throughout the night random people would happily attach glow sticks to the boy, and the patterns they created oftentimes nearly encased his whole body in neon lights. By the end of the night he was more often than naught a walking dimly lit neon suit of armor. He entered the elevator once it arrived, and was relieved to see that it was empty and inviting. He thumbed the 13th floor, and slumped to the ground once the doors shut.

"Why did this have to happen," he moaned to the emptiness as he clutched his legs close to his body. "Why did I have to fall in love? Why now? I can't tell him the truth, not yet…" He sniffled and tried to formulate a plan. A plan to be with Riku, and get out of the situation he was in.

The doors suddenly opened, and he quickly scampered down the hallway and into his room. Shutting the door behind him, he quickly plopped onto the bed and fell asleep in tears.

------

Riku arrived back at his apartment shortly after dropping Sora off at his hotel. His heart was racing; he finally met the boy of his dreams, and better yet, he was in love. It wasn't just a feeling of lust or anything. He had finally said the right thing at the right time, and he was truly in love. He wanted to know everything about Sion. He wanted to touch him, to hold him, to feel him writhing beneath him in total bliss… well, that last part would come later, Riku assured himself. But more importantly, he wanted to know Sion for more than what he was at first glance. Riku obviously surmised that Sion was a friendly type, and a very extroverted type (how else could he possibly attract that large a crowd to watch him dance?). But there was a deeper sense of him as well. Riku couldn't place his finger on it, but he knew there was more to know about Sion than just the obvious facts.

Shrugging off all thoughts of what to make of Sion, he exited his car, entered his apartment, and was immediately met with a delightful surprise. Inside was a young blond curled up on his couch, fast asleep. The dishes were done, the place was spotless, and after entering his bedroom he could see that the laundry was done.

"Well, now he is something else," Riku mused as he headed over to the hall closet to produce a blanket. He unfolded it as he made his way back to the couch, and draped it over the blond. "Sleep tight, Roxas," he concluded before heading back into his bedroom and preparing for bed. He had a date tomorrow with the boy of his dreams; he'd be wide awake for it.

------

An alarm clock irritatingly rang out from Sora's nightstand. Groaning he lifted his face from the mattress to glance at the clock. 8:23 am.

"Ugh…" Sora rolled over, completely forgetting what he was wearing. A light crunch from his back reminded him that he was still wearing the glow stick armor, and that he should probably remove it before trying to do anything else. Groggily, he sat himself up and began disassembling the intricate pattern of glow sticks, glow rings, and any other rave toy the crowd had been able to attach to him. Finally he was stripped down to just his shirt, pants, and shoes, and a rather large pile of neon plastic sat on the bed next to him. "Hope the cleaning lady doesn't mind yet another pile of these things…" he thought aloud as he began to strip himself of his clothing. "I honestly had no idea I'd be so popular," he mused as he lifted his shirt over his head before depositing it to the ground. "I just really wanted to dance," he laughed as he removed his shoes and pants before setting them next to the shirt.

Sora entered the bathroom wearing nothing more than his necklace and a pair of plain white boxers. Setting the necklace on the sink counter, and finally removing the last article of clothing that clung to his lithe body, the boy entered the shower and began to wash away the prior night's partying.

"Honestly, who the hell gets up at 8:30 on a Sunday to go in to work?" he seethed as he lathered his damp hair. "I've been doing nothing BUT working for the past… oy, three months? I need a break. I need a way out of this already… this is insane."

After a few minutes of cursing his life he exited the shower and tried to find some clothes that didn't scream party kid. Moments later he was fully dressed in a plain white t-shirt, and some somewhat-plain wide-legged jeans. A large picture of some kind of robot and some Japanese lettering dominated the back of the right leg. Satisfied with looking as professional as he possibly could with the clothes he had on hand, he snagged his necklace and placed it around his neck before making sure his hair was alright. His hair naturally spiked up, and always managed to defy gravity. It was just how his hair was created, he supposed. After a few more 'morning things,' he grabbed his keys and such and left the hotel room. He then ambled his way over to the elevator, exited the hotel, and entered the parking lot. After finding his own car, he stopped at a nearby Starbucks for a quick fix, and then took the ten-minute drive down to the police station.

------

"Hey, good morning, Roxas," Riku sang as he busied himself in the kitchen preparing a breakfast big enough for the two of them.

"Mmm… what time is it?" the bleary-eyed blond moaned from the couch as the morning sun beckoned him awake.

"Nine," came the response. "Wake up, I'm making us some breakfast."

Cautiously, Roxas sniffed the air and took in the delicious aromas that were seeping around the apartment. "Smells like… French toast, eggs, and bacon?"

"Yep," Riku hummed as he placed two plates on a nearby table and ushered the boy to him. "Look, I know you're hiding and all, but that doesn't mean you should starve yourself."

Roxas pushed the blanket away without questioning where it came from, padded across the living room into the kitchen, and took a seat across from his host. "Thanks, Riku."

"No problem. Axel's my best friend… I'd do anything for him, you know," the silver-haired male explained before helping himself to some of his own handiwork. "Eat up."

The blond helped himself to a portion of the eggs and sighed before cupping his face in his hands. "I can't believe everything that's happened, though." A tear fell from his eyes, and Riku offered him a napkin to wipe away any others. "Why couldn't they just understand? I didn't ask to be like this," he growled.

Riku couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for the youth. Roxas was only seventeen, but after his parents learned of his orientation and how harshly they began treating him he simply ran away. He ran away from a posh lifestyle, his family owning the Twilight Towers hotel chain as well as several casinos in the area, and would have been living on the streets had he not known Axel for a period of time. The redhead had taken a liking to Roxas, who had began coming to his club with a fake ID. The two began talking, and became good friends. Axel had a soft spot for the teen, and allowed him to come to his club to help him come to terms with himself and have a place to be himself despite the legal matters. All good things must come to an end, though, and it wasn't long before Axel found Roxas at his front door huddled against the night wind in a hooded sweatshirt to disguise himself and begging for a place to stay.

It was only recently that a problem arose; Axel realized how tightly linked to the disappearance he was, and he had to find a different place for Roxas to stay. And so, he asked Riku for perhaps the largest favor he could possibly ask a friend. However, given that Axel was able to rope Sion into working at the club… well, tit for tat. And so Roxas now resided with Riku, and the DJ was determined to at least try and help the boy find comfort despite his situation.

"I know it's hard, but maybe running away wasn't the best idea?" Riku offered hopefully. He was never really good at cheering someone up, though. Riku was always more of the silent observer, taking in everything and surmising a solution at the last moment. This was entirely new territory for him.

Roxas pounded his fist on the table, causing his plate to bounce slightly. "Who the hell cares who I want to fuck? I'm not some whore. That's what they called me, Riku, just because I like guys. Shit, I don't even know if I do completely." He tried to stifle his emotions, but it was just too hard on Roxas McAllister. For years he had lived in the shadow of his parent's business, and they never gave him much attention until they found him a few months ago in his bedroom with a male schoolmate, sprawled together in a very compromising position. "I just… I was only seeing if I liked it, and I do. I wanted to tell them, but they barged into that secret of mine and treated me like shit afterwards. Why couldn't they just try and understand?"

"Maybe it's because they're all rich and famous and expected their ideas of perfection upon you?" the DJ suggested as he nibbled on a strip of bacon. "I mean, high profile families expect flawless perfection from their children, and you broke that mold. You're right, though, they should have accepted you and tried to understand what you're going through."

"Did your parents ever treat you like this?" the blond asked as he finally took a bite of his breakfast.

"They never knew," he replied. "They died in a car accident just a few months after I had left for college."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Roxas said, his fierce expression suddenly softening. "It must have been hard for you."

"It was eight years ago," the silver-haired male dismissed. "I've come to terms with it. Anyway, you wanna do something today? I have a date tonight, but Axel'll probably be by in a little while. Maybe we can get you some new clothes and such."

"I'd like that," Roxas smiled in gratitude. "Who's the date?"

Riku chuckled. "Some kid I've had my eye on for a while. He's been going to the club for about three months now, and Axel offered him a job. Amazing dancer, beautiful eyes. Great guy all around… I'm sure you'll meet him soon."

"Sounds nice. What's his name?"

"Sion."

------

"Sora."

The brunet tried to stifle a yawn as he shifted papers around on his desk, obviously not quite hearing his own name called during his sort-of-yawn.

"Detective?"

Suddenly Sora perked up as he realized he was being addressed. "Yes, sorry, yes Kairi?"

"Detective Sora Tsukada, this is Luxord and Larxene McAllister… Roxas' parents?" the comely redhead stated as she introduced the two. "They're here for information regarding the investigation of their son's whereabouts?"

"Yeah, please have a seat," Sora gestured to two empty chairs in front of his desk as he began to pull up the appropriate file on his computer.

"Thank you for seeing us on such short notice, Detective," Luxord began as he tried to get comfortable on the chair. "I understand you must be incredibly busy, what with all of the clubbing and now actually working for the prime suspect." One might say Sora isn't incredibly swift, but he catches onto sarcasm quite easily.

"Yes, well, I feel that there is no better way to solve a case than to get closer to the accused," Sora began but was immediately cut off by the woman across from him.

"Listen, you little shit," Larxene seethed. "I want to know where the hell my son is. You've been on this damned case for three months now, and you haven't found him. I want you to search Axel's apartment and find him!"

"Ma'am, I understand your concerns, but we do not have sufficient evidence to search his home at this time," Sora tried to reason. "Believe me, I'm doing everything in my power to find him."

"You're staying at our hotel for your cover story," Luxord calmly began. "You're using our money to outfit yourself in appropriate clothing so you can be at that club every weekend night. And now you're working for them. You have got to be the most unprofessional detective I have ever heard of."

"But you have heard of me," Sora tried to joke, but was met with a pair of very irate stone-faced parents. "Okay, wrong audience. Listen, I know what you're going through. I also know what Roxas is going through. Right now he's scared, probably staying with a friend. It's not easy going through the sort of thing he went through, and quite frankly you two didn't make it any easier on him."

"Yes, we realize we made a mistake in treating him how we did," Luxord glowered. "If I could take it back, I would, but right now I just want my son back home."

"I am trying," Sora replied. "I'm sorry this is taking longer than any of us wish it to take, but rest assured I'll find him. Why don't you two go home, have a nice dinner, and clear your heads. I'm sure wherever Roxas is, he's safe," the young detective assured the two. "You said yourself he's a level-headed kid, and he knows how to take care of himself. He's probably at a friend's somewhere, but his friends are covering for him."

"Just update us more often with any information you get," Luxord responded curtly as he and his wife stood to leave.

"I will, don't worry," Sora responded. "Trust me, my methods might be a bit weird, but I know I'm getting closer to finding him. I'm Axel's employee now, so I have a better position to question him without him catching on."

"Fine," Larxene replied as the two left.

Moments later Kairi sat herself down in front of Sora, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "You're hiding something," she pointed out.

"I am not," Sora replied as he typed away at his computer.

"There's a reason this investigation has been dragging on for so long, isn't there," she smirked. "You're having too much fun."

"Kairi, there is nothing fun about investigating a missing person's case," he mumbled before taking a long sip of his coffee. French vanilla is the only flavor that could please his palette.

"Well, from the way I see it, you get to spend every weekend wearing cool clothes, dancing away at a club, and it's all paid for by the McAllister's and the city," the intrusive redhead continued to observe. "If I were in your position, I'd be having the time of my life."

"Yeah, and I get to work with the cutest guy ever! His name is Riku, and he's the DJ, and he's just gorgeous… tall, toned, and just wow." Sora nearly squealed out the rest before realizing his slip.

"AH HA!" Kairi clapped her hands together gleefully. "You're dragging this out so you can get closer to the DJ! I knew it had something to do with a guy."

Sora sighed dejectedly. "Kairi, he's not even interested in me. He likes my alias, that's all. Sure, he probably thinks I'm cute, but… Kairi, if I don't solve this case, I'll never get to tell Riku the truth. And even then, if I solve the case… he'd hate me for using him for the case or something."

Kairi nodded understandingly. The two had been co-workers for a few years now, and they immediately became friends. Sora often found him confiding in her with his personal life; he was often given the weirdest cases and they were quite taxing on him at times. Especially the one about a half year ago where he had to go undercover as a male hooker to investigate a possible drug cartel. Too bad he was so believable for the part; he spent more time fining and jailing more people for trying to hire a prostitute than he spent time on the case.

"Sora, you have to find Roxas, though," she responded with a shrug.

"But, his parents are so…" he couldn't quite find the right word… "schmucky."

With this, Kairi laughed. "I know, but it's our job to do it. Have you found any clues?"

"Well, yeah, I know Axel and Roxas were close friends," Sora replied. "Probably too close, though Axel doesn't seem stupid enough to do anything with a minor. Anyway, Roxas would go to Club Enigma and Axel allowed it. They became friends, and once he ran away from home he most likely ran to Axel. Thing is, we can't prove that he did without evidence. So, I have to find it."

"And?" Kairi inquired. "So you think actually working for Axel will help you find him."

Sora nodded. "I'll be part of their in-crowd, so to speak, and he'll probably tell me. I already have a feeling he knows where Roxas is and wants me to meet him."

"Well, just be careful," Kairi responded. "And get some sleep."

"I've only had three hours of sleep, Kai," he mumbled. "I was at the club until five."

"Don't kill yourself, Sora," Kairi warned. "Hopefully in the end you can find a way to keep Riku."

"In the meantime, I have a date with him tonight," Sora muttered halfheartedly. "Well, Sion does anyway."

"Sora," Kairi smiled as she stood up to get back to her own duties. "Just be yourself, even though it's an alias. Show him the real you, and when everything does have to end… he'll probably overlook it all because you were as true to him as you possibly could."

Sora nodded once again. "Thanks, Kai."

"Not a problem," she waved as she went back to her own desk.

------

"So, his name is Riku, right?" Kairi peered over at her friend and co-worker as they sat down in the food court of the nearby Twilight Mall. The two took off from work and decided to go to lunch together, opting for a quick meal of cheap Chinese buffet. What they didn't know was that Sora's afternoon was about to get a little weird.

"Yeah, he's so cute, and charming, and a great guy," Sora beamed as he leaned back in his chair.

"Good to know you speak so highly of me while I'm not around," a familiar voice rang out, causing Sora such a shock that he nearly tumbled to the floor.

"R…Riku, what are you doing here?" Sora stammered out as Riku pulled his lithe form close to him.

"I was about to ask you the same, Sion," Riku smiled as he plopped his plate next to the brunet. Kairi glanced at Sora with widened eyes; fortunately she was swift enough and good enough at her job to pick up on the situation immediately. "My friends and I thought we'd come here for lunch. Do a little shopping. The usual."

"Yeah, Sion and I were just here chatting about his new job," Kairi piped up with a smile. Sora breathed an internal sigh of relief; his cover wouldn't be blown, not by a detective as surprisingly sharp as Kairi.

"Yeah, I hired him," Axel smiled as he and a familiar-looking blond sauntered over. The blond sat next to Kairi and offered a smile as she scooted over, and the club owner grabbed a nearby chair and placed himself on the end of the table. "He's a sexy little kid, and a damned good dancer."

Kairi laughed. "Yeah, he's been dancing for ages."

"How'd you learn how to do those moves, anyway?" Axel inquired with a devious grin.

"Oh, you know," Sora giggled nervously. "Just natural at it…"

"You sure you never worked at a strip club or anything?" Axel further egged.

Riku rolled his eyes. "Axel, that's enough."

The fiery-haired man held his hands up in defense. "I'm kidding. Besides, even if you used to do that, it's all in the past, right?" He winked at Sora, who smiled in return.

"So, who are you all, anyway?" Kairi inquired, although she had a sneaking suspicion she already knew the redhead's name. "I'm Kairi. I'm a friend of Sion's."

"I'm Riku Aikou," the platinum-haired male smiled. "I'm a DJ at Club Enigma." He then gestured to Axel. "And this is Axel Kasai. He's the owner of the club." His hand then fell upon the blond's direction. "And this is Roxas."

"Roxas…" Sora drew out the name, taking note of the boy. Same blond hair, about the same size, about the right look... "You wouldn't happen to be Roxas McAllister, would you?"

"Yeah," the blond replied nervously. "Axel and Riku told me about you, Sion" he continued softly. "They said you were a great guy, and you might be able to help me."

Sora's immediate instinct to declare custody shattered to the floor like a fine piece of China cast astray. "Help you?" Sora was somewhat surprised to find himself asking. Of course he had to ask; if he just brought Roxas in, then everything was pointless. He wouldn't have Riku, he wouldn't experience this change of lifestyle, and he wouldn't be able to solve anything. No, he had to play along and solve the whole case; not just skip ahead to the end.

"They said you kinda went through the same thing I went through," Roxas replied as Sora's heart softened. The detective already knew where this was going, and it was true. Sora knew exactly what Roxas was going through, only Sora's version was a private small-scale matter. Roxas' version was surrounded by the media and a pair of very powerful parents.

"This is the kid I wanted you to meet," Axel cut in. "I was hoping you could talk with him… kind of as a favor for being hired."

Sora shook his head; this wasn't protocol! But Kairi sat across from him and offered a simple nod letting him know that this was the right thing to do, protocol or not. "Sure," he eventually replied with a grin that could brighten a thunderstorm. "I'll help you." What Sora didn't quite realize yet was that he was going to be helping himself in turn.

* * *

_Hope you enjoyed it! I was a little stuck on how to end the chapter, but Katraa and I were chatting and an idea for the final bits of this chapter came to mind... and so, here it is. Oh, and glow stick armor? That happened to a friend a while back at a club, though... he did it himself lol. Very cool-looking, and I'll be damned if I remember how we got them all on him! Reviews are lovely!_


	3. Unfathomable

**From Eternamente -- **_Yes, it has been a long wait indeed. My move is 100 percent complete, and I'm getting somewhat settled in employment-wise and the like. Plus I now have bleach-blond hair, so I am now 100 percent smexy. Good times. Before you read this chapter, admittedly, it is short. Well, not very short, but shorter than my normal length, which is never incredibly long to begin with. In short, it's... well, a new chapter at least. I believe this story has only two more chapters left... it was intended to be a short story from the start. I won't promise a sequel, though, as I'm still trying to finish writing An Angel's Savior: Sequel. I'll update that eventually. I also want to take the time to thank readers for posting reviews, even though I've been on a very long hiatus. It means a lot to me to know that there is still interest in my stories._

_Without further ado, please enjoy my latest chapter. I promise to try and update a bit more often._

**Disclaimer -- **_Sora, Riku, and everyone else are property of Square-Enix and Disney. The term 'silveret' was borrowed (stolen) from Katraa, as I kept running out of terms to use for Riku... because saying Riku over and over again, while a good mantra, is very repetitive, reiterative, and redundant. Thank you, thesaurus._

--

**Chapter Three -- Unfathomable**

"Oh, he doesn't stop talking about you," Kairi mused as she waltzed through the shopping mall, one arm interlaced with Riku's, and the other wrapped around a strawberry-banana smoothie, compliments of the DJ. "He thinks you're just fabulous."

"Really now," Riku smirked. Who better to get the dish on Sion's feelings from none other than the cutie's best friend? Never mind that the best friend was actually Detective Sora Tsukada's partner, Detective Kairi Monroe. The plot thickens. "Did he say anything else about me?"

"That you're tall, toned, and just wow," she grinned in response. "And he wasn't kidding about the wow," she continued with a wink and an evil giggle. How she enjoyed setting her partner up on dates. Although she did have a lapse of judgement when she tried to get Sora together with one of the guys he later had to bust for soliciting a prostitute while he was undercover as one.

"So, what do you think of me?"

Kairi eyed her company briefly before making up her mind. "You bought me a smoothie, you listened to me, and you seem like you care about Sion. You'll do."

"It's mainly because I bought you the smoothie, isn't it?"

"Bingo."

--

"So, tell me what it was like," Roxas nervously asked as he sat before the raver. The two decided to get desert at a nearby ice cream parlor while Kairi ran off to get married to Riku, or whatever Sora could fathom that the girl would possibly do. She was, admittedly, crazy, but Riku was, admittedly, drop-dead gorgeous. "How did your parents take the news that you were… you know…"

Sora sighed internally; Roxas couldn't even really bring himself to even say the word. "They took it hard," Sora replied as Roxas frowned. "My mother was any kind of mother you'd expect… she just wanted her son to be happy. But my father…" Sora cleared his throat and bit back the pain of his own memories. "He threw me out of our home."

"I'm so sorry," the blond murmured.

"He, um… he wanted his son to be a man's man, you know?" Sora continued before pausing to chuckle. "Little did he know that's exactly what he got." Roxas chuckled slightly at the joke as well. "Hey, I got you to laugh," Sora beamed. "It's always good to laugh, even if the world is handing you a pile of crap."

"But why does it have to be so hard?"

"People are weird. Some accept anything different willingly, and others reject it because they're afraid of a new idea. My father was incredibly old-fashioned, stubborn… the type of guy who insisted on using cash for everything because he didn't trust a bank to hold his money." The brunet sighed heavily. "I guess I should have seen it from a mile away; he'd never approve of me. I did, in a way. I tried so hard to hide myself from him, but in the end I just couldn't hide who I was. I couldn't deny myself any longer." Roxas' expression grew more and more curious as Sora continued. "I came downstairs one night for a date with this guy… I don't even remember his name. I looked incredible, but you know… obviously gay. I was trying to impress the guy and such… you know how people can get. Anyway, my father caught me, berated me, and basically made me feel as if I was the worst possible thing in the world. I wanted to crawl in a hole and die."

"That's so terrible," Roxas commented as his face fell more and more sympathetic.

"In the end, though, I stayed true to myself, and so should you," Sora concluded as he finished up the last of his ice cream. Nothing like neon green mint chocolate chip ice cream to brighten up your day.

"What about your father?"

"Hmm?"

"Has he ever apologized?"

"No," Sora replied bluntly before continuing, "but that doesn't mean he hasn't begged to be part of my life once again."

Roxas shifted uncomfortably at Sora's resolve. "Why haven't you gone back?"

"He wants his son back, but he doesn't accept that part of me. I mean, I don't sit here waving rainbow flags or anything," Sora chuckled. "I'm gay, but it's just a fact about me. It's not the basis of my personality. I'm not who I am because I'm gay. I'm who I am because it's who I want to be. He just doesn't get that yet, so until then he's not a part of my life."

"What about your mother?"

"She loves me. We see each other all of the time," Sora smiled. "She sent me to my aunt's when my father kicked me out, and she helped fund my college education."

Roxas' face grew into total shock. "You graduated college?"

Sora cursed himself internally; he almost said too much. "Yeah, but nothing important. I just wanted a degree in case I had to actually get some kind of stuffy job someday. But I live to enjoy each day as if it were my last," he finished with a smile as he congratulated himself internally for catching his slip-up. It's not easy investigating a case about a missing person, and talking to the missing person posing as someone who works for one of the missing person's best friends. Especially when you just ate a ton of ice cream. Mint chocolate chip ice cream can play tricks on your mind. Neon green tricks. "What about you, though?"

"What about me?"

"Why'd you run away?"

"Cuz… because my parents didn't approve of me," Roxas replied. "I couldn't live in that kind of awkwardness."

"So you just left? Weren't you afraid of how you'd survive?" Sora inquired.

Now it was Roxas' turn to sigh, albeit with irritation. "What, you think just because I came from a rich family, I automatically can't take care of myself?"

"Hey, hey," Sora waved his hands defensively. "I'm on your side… I'm just curious."

"Heh, sorry," the blond huffed. "I get defensive of that. Axel was almost the same way when we first met."

"Mmm?"

"I started going to his club a few years ago, and he asked me 'what's a spoiled brat like you doing in a place like this?'. I wanted to kill him for that remark," Roxas replied as Sora nodded. "But then once he saw how defensive I was going to be, he laughed and flashed a smile that let me know he was teasing, and that it was alright. Since then I kept going to Enigma to be with him."

"So why'd you stop going?" Sora leaned back into the booth in an effort to get comfortable. It's hard work being undercover in an ice cream parlor!

"Eh?"

"I've been going for around three months now, and this is really the longest I've ever seen you," Sora explained. "Plus if you're so close to Axel, wouldn't you want to go to the club to support him?"

"Well…" Roxas cleared his throat. "I decided to hide out so the police wouldn't find me. I just wanted to wait it out until…"

"Hey, there you two are," a voice piped up beside them. Sora glanced up to see who the voice belonged to, and it was none other than Axel himself.

"Hey," Roxas smiled as his expression softened.

"Ice cream? Without me?" Dramatically, Axel placed a hand over his heart in an effort to overact his supposed loss. "How could you do this to me?"

"Oh, calm down," Roxas chided. "Just get some yourself."

"Nope, we gotta get going," the redhead responded. "Besides, Riku and Sion have to get going as well soon."

"Hmm?" Sora glanced up in inquiry.

"Your date, silly. Don't think Riku didn't tell me about that," the redhead grinned a Cheshire grin. "Don't forget to bring condoms and lube like a good little boy," he winked. "Though, I think you of all people know that."

"Axel!" Sora's eyes widened. Why, oh why, did Axel have to think he was a former prostitute?

"Anyway, we're gonna get going," Axel smirked as he wrapped a possessive arm around Roxas in an attempt to usher him away. "You'd better grab Riku before your friend molests him."

"Eh?" Sora glanced behind him to see his auburn-haired partner practically blushing away in his hopeful soon-to-be maybe if-everything-works-out boyfriend's arms.

"Yo," Riku called out as he approached the group, all the while trying to wrestle his way out of Kairi's grip. Upon arrival he deposited her in the booth where Sora once sat. "So, ready to go?"

"Sure," Sora smiled as he allowed his date to lead him away.

--

"I assure you that Detective Tsukada is a capable and competent member of our squad."

"I understand that, Captain, but honestly it has been three months and he has yet to locate our son. We want him off of this case so that a better detective can find out damned son already!"

"Mrs. McAllister," the captain turned to face his audience with exasperation. "He's doing what he can. He's infiltrated Club Enigma, and he's building a foundation of trust within the group. If Axel Kasai has your son, as you say, he'll report to me the moment he finds him."

"Well, for your sake, he had better find him damned soon," Larxene quipped as she stormed out of the office.

"We expect good results soon, Captain Leonhart," Luxord concluded as he joined his wife outside.

The two strode briskly to their limousine before being let inside. Once inside Larxene turned to her husband and simply glared.

"Alright," Luxord sighed as his face fell into a darn stare. "We'll just have to take matters into our own hands."

--

"How did you know I loved going to the boardwalk?"

"I come here every now and again," Riku smiled as the two strolled down the planks. Sora grinned like a child as he dug into a mountain of cotton candy. "I love to watch the ocean as the tide rolls in and out. It makes me feel happier. And you have the same air about you."

"You're always so poetic," Sora giggled as he polished off the last piece of fluff.

"Well, that's just how I am," Riku smirked as he continued. "Always thoughtful, and always imaginative. I never stop telling someone just how wonderful they are. It's just my nature."

"And so very modest, too."

"Hey, come with me," the silveret smirked as he grabbed Sora's hand. "I want to show you something incredible."

"Where are we going?" Sora called out as the pair raced towards the tide, not that it wasn't obvious.

Moments later the two were standing just where the ocean would crash upon the shore. "Stand here with me, Sion," Riku said lowly as he embraced Sora. "I want you to look down."

Sora glanced to the ground, thoughts rambling in his head. "What am I looking for?" A moment later his question was answered as the tide rolled in, up to Sora's waist. "Woah!" the brunet exclaimed as he watched the ocean swallow his torso, and then glide away as if nothing had ever happened.

"Isn't it an amazing feeling to just be standing in a spot, and then suddenly you're engulfed?" Riku mused, almost cryptically. "It's like you have no control over what happens, and you feel as though you could fall, but there's a force that just catches you."

Sora glanced up into Riku's eyes and sighed internally. "You have no idea."

"C'mon, let's go," Riku smiled as he led his half-wet date out of the sand.

"Riku?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you promise me something?"

The DJ grinned. "Anything for you, Sion."

Sora worried his lip for a moment. "Promise me that you'll always like me, regardless of anything?"

Riku arched an eyebrow, but simply shrugged. "Sion, I… I think it's deeper than me wanting to like you, but I'm not going to jump to conclusions. Just… don't worry about right now."

The detective breathed a nervous sigh. He'd been doing a lot of internal sighing as of late.

"Hey, look," Riku smiled as he led his companion to a nearby game. "Shoot three ducks, win a prize," he smirked as he read off the details of the game. "Well, let's give it a shot. I'm gonna win that bear for you," he said as-a-matter-of-factly as he placed some money on the counter and picked up the gun. "These games are easy. It's all about aim."

Pow! Miss. Pow! Miss. Pow! Miss.

"It was a nice try," Sora smiled as he attempted to pull his date away.

"No way, I'm not done yet," Riku smirked as he slammed down another bill on the counter.

Pow! Miss. Pow! Miss. Pow! Barely hit…

"Well, you at least got one," Sora remarked as he tried to drag Riku away.

"Why don't you try?" the vendor smiled as he nodded at Sora.

"Yeah, Sion, give it a shot," Riku nudged.

"Nah, I don't think so…" Sora chuckled as Riku continued to egg him on. "Alright, fine." Sora picked up the gun, took a perfect shooting stance, and let his extensive experience do the job for him. After all, it isn't every day that Sora would allow himself to pull the trigger on his target.

Pow! Direct hit. Pow! Smack in the middle. Pow! The duck didn't have a chance.

"Now can we go?" The detective huffed as he set the gun down, walked over to Riku, and pulled his awestruck date away from the booth.

--

"And so that is the meaning of life."

"Wow, you put a lot of thought into that one," Sora chided as he relaxed into Riku's arms. The pair had driven back to Sora's hotel, but remained in Riku's car as they discussed any random thought that came into their minds. Neither of them wished for the night to end, but the sun had set hours ago, and they both knew it had to end at some point.

Riku exhaled. "So, you're staying at the Twilight Towers," he stated.

Sora shrugged. "I couldn't find a place to live, so I live here… I haven't gotten around to finding a place."

"If you want, you could come stay at my place," Riku started but was cut off once he was on the receiving end of a chaste kiss.

"That's sweet of you, Riku, but… you don't want to do that," Sora replied once he released Riku.

"Sion, I want to help you. Living in a hotel is no way to…"

"I know, but I'm fine. Really." Sora chuckled a bit. "I don't have to bother cleaning, and I have fresh towels every morning.

Riku held the detective tighter. "I want you to think about my offer," he stated before adding, "at least as a friend and co-worker."

Sora bit his lip. "Riku, there's a lot you don't know about me…"

"And I want to find out everything," Riku finished.

Sora shook his head. "I'm afraid if I told you every detail about me, you'd hate me."

"I could never hate you, Sion," Riku replied. Sora cringed once again. Why did he have to use an alias?

"I gotta head up to bed," Sora responded as he made for his door. His arm was held tightly by Riku, though.

"Can I come up for a few minutes?"

_'Yes, a thousand times yes,'_ Sora thought, but pushed the thought away. "Another time."

Riku pulled Sora back into the car and swooped in for a desperate kiss. After a moment of being melted into the kiss, Sora was released to face Riku's pleading eyes. "Sion, I haven't felt this way about anyone in so long. And yet here you are. Please, whatever you're hiding, don't let it come between what could happen between us. I would only ever treat you with respect, adoration, and love."

"Riku, I…" Sora's response was cut short by a cell phone… his own, to be exact. "Excuse me… I thought I turned that off." Sheepishly he pulled out his phone; it was his work phone, and anyone who called him surely had an emergency. "Hello?" he inquired. "What? No, when? I'll be right there." Sora looked up at Riku, a look of sheer horror etched across his face. His worst fear for this case came true; his reality was about to clash with his alias.

"Who was it?" the silveret inquired.

"That was Kairi," Sora replied, nearly beside himself. "Riku, where is Roxas?"

"He should be at my place; Axel drops him off there every evening."

"Take me to Axel's place."

"Why?"

"Just do it," Sora demanded, his voice desperate. "I don't have time to explain everything, but please forgive me. But I need you to take me to Axel's right now. He's in trouble."

Riku started the car, pulled out of the parking lot, and began plotting a list of questions for his enigmatic date.

--

"Where is he?"

"I don't know," Axel responded sharply. Another gunshot filled the building as his captor fired a round at the ceiling.

"Either you tell me where my son is, or I will leave you for dead right here, right now," Luxord demanded as he cocked the trigger. "Don't think I'll miss when it's a real shot."

From beyond the locked bathroom door, a panic-stricken Roxas prayed for his father's mercy.


	4. Inexplicable

**From Eternamente** -- _First off, I want to let everyone know that I will be attending Otakon '08 this coming August. If you're planning to go, and would like to meet me, send me a PM to make arrangements! I'd love to meet those who continue to inspire me to keep on writing._

_I know I don't update very often, but I have been meaning to fix that. As of right now I'm involved in several things; I'm planning on going to a LARP some old friends of mine run, I've been attending drama club meetings at a college I intend to enroll in this coming year, and I've also been beta'ing for Punkie Spunk as of late. That, plus work and playing a bit of World of Warcraft here and there, certainly keeps me busy and unfortunately prevents me from writing as much as I'd like. But, perhaps once I go back to school I'll be simmering things down enough to spend some time writing. I do plan to major in journalism, after all, so I'll certainly be enforcing writing time upon myself!_

_But I want to thank my readers who continue to add my stories to their favourites, who continue to give me lovely reviews (whether they be small blurbs of fangasms to long detailed exclaimations of what I did right and what could use some improving), and who add me to their favourite authors. It truly is flattering; to this day I notice I'm added to someone's list at least once or twice every day. It truly does make me happy to know that I'm this well-received. So, thank you, my readers._

_Things heat up during this chapter, but unfortunately... this is the next-to-last chapter for Enigma. I never intended to drag this story out for a very long time; it was intended to be a short story right from the start. I definitely want to learn how to lengthen my stories as well in the long run; this was, unfortunately, only 6 pages long on ten point Times New Roman font on Works. So, I'm disappointed in myself. But I hope you like it! The next chapter wraps the story all up, and while I won't say how it ends I am certain you can predict how it might end. Enjoy!_

**Disclaimer** -- _If a Riku plushie and a Sora plushie made plushie babies, what would they be named? ... Silly, plushies can't make babies (never mind the fact that they're both male)._

**--**

**Chapter Four -- Inexplicable**

"Would you mind telling me what's going on?" Riku demanded as he drove to his friend's apartment.

"I can't," Sora pleaded. "Please, just get to Axel's place! Quicker!"

"I'm driving as fast as I can!"

"You're not driving fast enough!"

"If I knew why you needed to get there so quick, I would have a little motivation!"

Sora huffed. "Axel is being held at gunpoint!"

"That's… enough motivation," Riku replied as he pushed the pedal to the metal.

"Good, now hurry!" Sora demanded as he dialed Kairi's phone number.

--

"I've got visual," Kairi spoke into her mic as she crouched over Axel's skylight. "Where is Roxas?"

"The bathroom," a voice responded in her headset. "He's about ten meters south of your position. He's nowhere near the target at this time."

"Good," the detective responded as she prepared to take her shot. "Just give me the okay."

"Kairi?" a different voice filled her ear.

"Sora, where are you?" she inquired of the brunet.

"I'm on my way. What's going on there?"

"Luxord has Axel at gunpoint. He's demanding where Roxas is; he doesn't realize the kid is in the bathroom right now," she responded.

"I'll be there in a minute. Don't do anything," Sora responded. "Luxord won't kill Axel; he's just trying to scare the truth out of him."

"You'd better hurry," Kairi replied. "I have perfect visual, and the best damned vantage point in the world right now. If I sense anything serious I won't hesitate to take Luxord down."

"I know," came the response. "You do what you need to do, but I'll be there before that can happen."

"I hope so," the redhead replied as Sora's connection faded away.

--

"Sion, I need to know what's going on," Riku said as the two sped through town. "Why does Kairi know so much about this situation?" He didn't know how long he had until Axel was done for; he didn't even know the situation completely, but he feared for his best friend's life. He couldn't imagine a life without the fiery redhead. But he wanted answers, and he was going to pull them out of the brunet.

"Because…" Sora winced internally; he knew this moment would come, and he was afraid it had come all but too soon. However, he kept a stone face as he began to reveal the truth to someone he hoped would be understanding. "Riku… she and I are detectives working on a case."

"Sion, that's not even funny."

"And my name isn't Sion, it's Sora," the young detective continued. "I didn't want to tell you that, because I've been undercover for the past few months."

"Undercover? Why?" Riku shook his head in disbelief. It was obvious to Sora that he didn't believe him with a blatant confession like that; he had to actually prove it.

"Because Roxas is a runaway, and we were assigned to find him and bring him home. It was a high-profile case, what with Roxas being the son of the McAllisters," Sora explained.

"I don't believe you," Riku commented dryly as he slowed the car down to a halt. Sora sighed knowingly, but continue to remain calm. The DJ then turned to Sora. "Sion, whatever the truth is, please tell me. I have the right to know what's going on."

Sora pulled out his badge. "Riku, if you do not start this car again right now and drive to Axel's place, I will have to place you under arrest for obstruction of justice." Riku's face paled as he realized the badge wasn't some toy one could find at any dollar store. He could tell by it's sharp luster that it was, indeed, real. "Oh, and here is my real identification," Sora concluded as he tossed his driver's license at Riku.

"Sora Tsukada?" Riku arched an eyebrow as he inspected the card. "But… but I saw your ID. It said Sion Barzahd."

"Riku! I'm a detective working undercover! Of course I'd have an ID for my alias!" Sora cried out in exasperation. "Now start this damned car, or Axel could be killed because you were wasting time over this. I'm sorry you had to find out this way. I wanted to tell you sooner, but I was trying to find the right time. But now is not the time to obsess over this. Now is the time to get us to Axel's so we can save him." He then pulled out his gun and waved it dramatically. "Now start this car, drive to Axel's, or get out so I can do it myself. Either way, if we just sit here I will arrest you!"

"Alright, alright!" Riku shouted as he tried to steady himself. He managed to turn the ignition back on, and continue down the road towards their periled friend's place. "But, you know… this is a LOT to take in so suddenly!"

"Riku, I'm sorry," Sora attempted, but was quickly cut off.

Riku shot Sora a glare. "I don't even know who you are, detective. Just… I'll get you to Axel's, and I want to make sure he's alright. I can't trust you right now, though. Not when I don't even know you."

Sora slouched in his seat glumly. He was afraid Riku would react to the information like this. He silently cursed Luxord for forcing him into such a confession, and promised to himself that he would make him pay.

--

"For the past four months I have been searching for my son," Luxord calmly stated as he loomed over Axel. "And I believe you know exactly where he is." He cocked his pistol towards Axel's position on a nearby couch. If one were to be on-looking the situation it would seem like a normal conversation between two old friends with one calmly sitting upon a cough, and the other pacing about mid-rant. Only, one had a gun in his hand, and these two gentleman were anything but old friends.

"I told you before…" Axel began flatly, but was quickly cut off.

"Ah, another lie is about to come tumbling out of that mouth of your's. Don't lie to me, boy. I know you know where Roxas is. After all, you are fucking him, aren't you?" Luxord sneered. "Don't think I don't know that you two are having some sort of fling, or whatever it is your generation calls it. But that's all it is. Nothing more than a cry of attention from a poor, young, confused boy."

"A cry of attention? What are you talking about? Roxas and I lov…"

"Love each other?" Luxord laughed lowly. "Hardly. Ever since he was a little boy he would beg for attention. 'Mommy, spend time with me.' 'Daddy, take me to this.' 'Daddy, help me do that.' Really, he's always been craving attention, and yet giving it to him was never enough. Once you gave him the attention he desired, he simply wanted more of it."

"That's not true," Axel seethed. "Roxas kept coming back to me because I was the only one who WOULD give him the attention he needed. All you people ever did was judge him, belittle him, and push him away when he needed you. You didn't want a son; you just wanted a legacy."

"How DARE you presume to know me," Luxord dared. "You know nothing but hearsay."

Axel crossed his legs one over the other, leaned back into his couch, and flashed a smirk. Did it matter that he was staring a gun in the face? Hardly; he knew the one commanding the weapon was losing his nerve. Using this knowledge to his advantage he coolly inquired of the hotel tycoon, "Then why don't you tell me your side of the story?"

Luxord laughed. "What difference does it make? You're only interested in keeping my son from me. You don't care about my side of the story. You're nothing but a kidnapper, for all I care. You just haven't gotten around to writing a ransom note or whatever it is you scum of the earth do in this situation." His grip loosened around the handle of the gun. "Do you know what it's like to be a public figure at the height of his career, and suddenly learn that his son is gay? The media would have a field day with that information. Camera crews would swarm us, and we'd be on the front page of every tabloid. Our business would be gone, and we'd have nothing left all because we would honor our son's wish to have sex with men. It wasn't worth it," he deadpanned. "No. We had to keep this a secret. We promised him ten million dollars on his eighteenth birthday so long as he kept his sexuality a secret."

"So you basically paid him to keep quiet about being gay," came a response from the front door. Much to his surprise Luxord spun around to greet the new arrival. There at the doorway stood a very serious-looking Sora, gun drawn and aimed directly at Luxord.

"Ah, Detective, how wonderful to see you," Luxord smirked. "You're just in time to arrest this man for kidnapping."

"Luxord, put the gun down. Don't make me warn you again," Sora responded to the cold greeting. "I never miss."

Riku trailed in behind Sora with a look of absolute concern on his face.

"Detective?" Axel questioned as he glanced at Sora.

"Ah, so I see you are still undercover," Luxord smiled wide. "Well, fortunately for you, my dear dimwitted detective, you no longer have to be. Just arrest this man for kidnapping, and we'll be done with you. Once he is in questioning, surely he will tell us where Roxas is."

"Luxord, what are you doing?" Sora inquired.

"I am simply doing your job for you," the man laughed as he waved his weapon around. "You see, four months of this case has made me grow weary. I desired results right here, and right now."

"…Detective…" Riku still seemed flabbergasted by this revelation. "You're really not just some raver kid, are you?"

"Riku, now is hardly the time for this," Sora quipped as he kept his eyes locked on Luxord. "Luxord, give me the gun. This is not what you want."

"Oh, but I beg to differ. For the past four months all you have done is remain undercover as a dancer at his god-forsaken club. It must have been such a joy to have such a fun job for months," the hotel owner seethed. "And meanwhile I'm stuck footing the bill while you get buddy-buddy with them all. Now ARREST them so I can have my son back and be done with you, Detective Sora Tsukada!"

"Luxord, you don't know this to be fact. Now put the gun down!" Sora called out as he gave Kairi a hidden signal. "Last chance!"

"You don't know…" Luxord's words were cut off as he spun around from a stray bullet landing directly in his leg. In the confusion of the moment he pulled his own trigger directly towards the source of the bullet. An earsplitting crash came from the ceiling as the skylight crumbled beneath Kairi. Within moments the female detective fell through the shattered skylight, landing directly on top of Axel's couch. Simultaneously Luxord crumpled to the floor in a heap.

"Kairi!" Sora shouted as he rushed over to his partner. "Kairi, are you alright?"

"I… I'm fine," she managed to respond. After a moment she found her voice. "Wow, that was fun. Let's not do that again." And, apparently, her sense of humor.

"Axel!" Roxas rushed out of his hiding place in the bathroom to greet his beloved. "Axel, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Roxy."

"Sion!" Roxas turned to greet the detective. "I mean, Sora, right? I think I heard that right."

"Yes, that's right," Sora replied.

"Um… thank you. For listening to me, and helping us," Roxas smiled as Axel wrapped his arms around the boy.

"And guess what?" Axel smirked as he held his boyfriend close.

"I know. It's after midnight," Roxas replied.

"Happy Eighteenth Birthday," Axel responded as he drew in the birthday boy for a kiss.

"So that's why you kept stalling," Kairi smiled as she playfully punched Sora's arm. "You knew Roxas would be turning eighteen. You little snake."

"I felt for him… after receiving the case, I planned it out," Sora confirmed. "I knew there was something fishy about Luxord from the moment I met him."

"You know," came a voice from the floor, "it's considered rude to talk about people behind their backs." Luxord stood up and aimed his gun directly at Sora. "One might consider it to be hazardous to your health!"

"No!" Riku cried out as the gun was fired. Within a moment he dove in front of a very surprised Sora, the bullet plunging itself deep into his own body. He fell to the ground, his limbs twisted in an inhuman fashion.

"Riku!" Sora cried out in panic. He rushed over to the DJ to check for vital signs. He pulled out his phone and desperately called for an ambulance.

"Luxord, you are under arrest in more ways than one," Kairi seethed as she drew the man down onto the floor. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law…"

The Miranda Rights were a mere lull in the background for Sora, who stood by the man whole stole his heart and saved his life.

--

Moments later Riku was strapped into a stretcher and wheeled away into an ambulance. Despite his desire to join Riku, Sora had to stay and finish up at Axel's apartment.

"So, you're really a detective?" Axel inquired as he stood aside for a few policeman to pass into his home. The skylight was in shambles, there was blood in the carpet, and the place was a broken mess from gunshot holes.

"Yes," Sora replied. "Detective Sora Tsukada. About four months ago I was assigned to go undercover as a raver at your club in the hopes of pursuing a lead that you were hiding a runaway."

"So, why didn't you arrest me?"

"Because I knew the situation was deeper than that," the detective replied. "I just didn't trust the McAllisters."

"Well… thank you," Axel replied. "I can't thank you enough for seeing our side of the story."

"Just take good care of him, alright?" Sora nodded.

"Roxas?"

"And Riku," came the response.

"Sora, go talk to him when he wakes up. I'm sure he'll want an explanation, and I'm sure he'll forgive you."

"Axel, I lied to him for the sake of this case. It's not easy being with a detective," Sora shrugged. "But I will talk to him. I owe him some kind of closure at least."

"Well, you know you're always welcome at Club Enigma. Free of charge," Axel smirked. "I'd offer you continuing employment, but being that the job might clash with your day job… just drop by when you can."

"I will."

--

The fluorescent lights buzzed merrily at the night dragged on, but for one Sora Tsukada the scenery was anything but merry. The bright white walls of the hospital room were getting to the young man, and he was trying desperately to stay awake. Not ten hours earlier the detective and his DJ friend were strolling about the boardwalk, their love blossoming amidst the lazy evening. How Sora wished he had been Sion for real; none of this would have happened. He clutched Riku's hand as a slow monotonous beeping sound echoed through the room every few moments.

"Riku…" Sora mouthed hoarsely, his voice raspy from a long stretch of sleeplessness. "Why did you jump in front of me… I should be the one on that bed, not you…"

Slowly, but surely, the detective fell asleep sitting next to the one who gave him a reason for living, and loving. A gentle tear escaped his eye as he mourned Riku's injury, and he silently prayed that in time the DJ would forgive him for his deception, and that the two could start anew.

If only he could have changed everything… if only he had been able to tell him the truth differently… if only he were just some raver kid who happened to fall into Riku's lap at the right time. He would be happier, because he would have the love of his lifetime.

If only.

* * *

_Me love you long time for reviews._

_Once again, if you wish to make plans to meet me during Otakon '08 then please PM me! I go to anime conventions simply to hang out with friends, and I'm always up for making new ones. I'll be cosplaying my smexy bishie Sora for the convention... I didn't feel like getting a new costume together, but my Sora is definitely top-of-the-line ;) I hope I don't disappoint!_

_Oh, and I have a confession. During chapter 2 I was actually going to write a lemon with an altered scene... but I wound up scrapping the entire scene. Riku was going to escort Sora/Sion up to his hotel room, and they were going to make hawt bishie love. But, I decided it was too lustful for the story... I wanted the focus to remain on Roxas' plight, and Sora identifying with the youth. In the end, I think I got my intentions across. But, yes, let us mourn my scrapped lemon lol_


End file.
